Discovery
by KeepDriving
Summary: Casey Novak is transferred to the NY Academy for Gifted Youth, which is not what Casey wants to do. However, she does not know that she will meet Olivia Benson, Alex Cabot, Elliot Stabler, John Munch, and Fin Tutuola who will all change her life forever.
1. Against My Will

1**Chapter One **

**CASEY**

I listen to my rapid breathing and look around at all the nature passing by. Running is my release from all the stress. Every time I run, it is always in the woods, away from everyone and everything. I am alone.

Today, I am running because my parents are making me transfer to the New York Academy for Gifted Youth, or NYAGY. That is a school for all of the super-smart kids who need a challenge. My old school was easy for me, but I didn't ever want to end up at a school with people who could quite possibly be smarter than me.

My parents decided to send me to NYAGY because my cousin, Jen, goes there and her parents can't stop talking about how much she loves it. Of course, Jen _chose_ to go there. I am being forced to leave all my closest friends behind. Now, all I'm going to have is Jen. It took me three months at my old school to make friends. I don't want to go through the same miserable three months again.

I keep running, even after it hurts. My chest is on fire. My face is soaked with sweat that drips down onto my softball shirt. My legs feel like Jell-o. But I still keep running. Running away from my fears and my stress and my real life.

Someone else comes down the trail towards me with a girl who looks about four years younger than me. The older woman and the supposed twelve-year-old are talking and laughing and having a good time. I run past them, wishing so much that I could have that kind of relationship with my mother. But unfortunately, that will probably never happen. My mother has always been ashamed of the fact that I am into girls. She thinks it is absolutely wrong. Don't get me wrong, I'm into guys too. I just have a little more of an open mind than other people.

I look up at the trees surrounding me on the path. I puck a far away tree and tell myself to run until I reach it, no matter how badly it hurts.

_Come on, just a bit farther_, I tell myself. I can not let myself give up easily. The way I always push myself was mostly the reason why everyone thinks I should become a lawyer. That is, everyone except for me. I want to get into a sport in college: either running or softball.

The tree I was aiming for approaches all too quickly, so I decide to pick a different tree about a hundred yards ahead of me.

When I finally reach my second destination, I slow down a bit. I keep walking because I don't want my muscles to tighten up. I have to talk myself through the fire burning in my chest.

_Come on, just breathe. It's not that hard. You've been doing it your whole life,_ I say to myself. Yet somehow, I cannot find myself to gather my breath as I intend. I just keep walking and listening to the birds sing.

"If only life were really this blissful," I say out loud.

THREE DAYS LATER

I get out of the car with Jen and say goodbye to my aunt and uncle, who I am staying with for my time at the academy. Aunt Joanna and Uncle Peter drive away, and now it is just Jen and I.

Jen must have noticed the look of intimidation on my face, because she stands next to me and says, "Don't worry. You'll be fine. The classes aren't that hard." What she fails to realize is that it's not the classes that I'm worried about; it's everything else that comes with high school.

I think back to my previous high school, Adams High. I think about how much higher in my class I was than everyone else there. I was never someone who people would want to make friends with, unless of course someone needed help with their homework. Yep, I was that kind of girl. The geek. Now, I think to this school and how everyone, apparently, is just like me. They are too smart for their ordinary high school, so they come here instead.

I glance at Jen. "Let's go," I say confidently.

We walk into our home room, and Jen introduces me to the teacher, whose name was pretty common, Mrs. Smith. "Hello, you must be our new student, Casey Novak. Transferred from Adams High?" Mrs. Smith says, a little to cheery for my taste. But I smile and nod my head.

"That's me. Forced against my will to come here," I say, trying to make it sound like a joke. It works, because Jen and Mrs. Smith both laugh at the comment.

"Well," she starts, looking around at the room as I follow her gaze, "why don't you sit next to Olivia? Olivia, raise your hand please," calls Mrs. Smith.

I looked around the classroom at someone signaling to me to a vacant seat next to them, and I see her. I try to stay focused at the task at hand, but it is just so difficult. She is truly one of the most amazing women I have ever seen.

I walk over to Olivia and sit down in the seat next to hers. I extend my arm out to her and say, "Hi, I'm Casey Novak. I was really forced here against my will," I say.

The beautiful woman looks at me and smiles genuinely. "I'm Olivia Benson. Join the club." We laugh, and I am convinced that this year will be much better than I expect it to.


	2. Jade Green

1**Chapter Two**

**OLIVIA**

I sigh and reluctantly get out of bed to go to school. It is my first day back after a long summer. I didn't get to spend much time with my friends, although I did, however, spend a lot of time at a summer program for smart kids age seventeen and younger. I stayed there for three long months studying law, and it didn't get me much of anywhere. I still know the same things. I know my rights and everything. I honestly don't know why I even went. I knew I should have picked music theory.

My alarm clock is still going off, but I leave it alone because I hate the silence. Silence is too loud for me. Any thoughts can come into my head at any point in time, and I usually regret those thoughts. I grab a tank top from the top of my pile of clean clothes. It is a reddish-pink color that I absolutely adore, plus it is from my favorite clothing store, American Eagle. It just had it's grand opening, and as soon as they cut the red ribbon, I was in love.

I slide my tank top on over my bra and pull on a pair of light jeans. My jeans are rolled up, because I can't go anywhere with my legs completely covered. It is just unnatural for me.

My sneakers are still dirty from softball practice yesterday, and I don't feel like making my first impression to my sophomore teachers as someone who wears dirty shoes and doesn't care what other people think about it; honestly, I am the opposite of that. I care what other people think about me. If someone thinks I am to smart, I will purposefully fail a test. If someone thinks that I am not smart enough, I will stay up all night studying. If someone thinks my outfit is ugly, I do whatever I can to get a new outfit before the end of the day.

I decide to put on my bright pink Converse high-tops instead of my running sneakers. I take one quick look in the mirror before I head downstairs to retrieve the breakfast that I always have: a bowl of cereal and an iced coffee.

My mother is on the couch sleeping when I arrive in the kitchen. She must have gotten drunk again and fallen asleep before she ever got to bed. I sigh and head into the kitchen. I write down on a small piece of paper, "_Off to the first day of school... I'll be back at around 4, I am stopping by the batting cages with Elliot after school. Love, Liv."_ I put the piece of paper in plain sight on the counter where my mother will be able to see it. My iced coffee is waiting on the counter, just as I always ask for it. I smile and take a small sip of it before deciding that coffee is enough for me this morning and that I should get to school early.

I grab my backpack from next to the door and slowly and carefully step outside, closing the door behind me softly as to not wake my mother. Today, I have decided to walk to school instead of taking my usual ride with Elliot Stabler and Alex Cabot, my two best friends. They know that if I am not waiting outside for them, I have decided to walk.

I venture down the sidewalk, not knowing what the day will bring.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, class. It's your first day back from summer break. You may talk, but don't get too loud. And try not to fall asleep, either," called out my home room teacher, Mrs. Smith. Last year she was known as Miss Valentin, but she was married over the summer, and now she wants us to call her by her new name.

I turn and look at the vacant seat next to mine. I wonder if there are any new students coming to the academy this year that I have not heard about yet. I sigh and look in the opposite direction at my good friend, Elliot Stabler. "So, how was your summer?" I ask, letting the boredom show in my voice.

He sighed. "It was okay. I didn't do much of anything except for write you letters. How was that thing, anyways?" he asked, obviously curious.

"It was all right. I didn't learn much of anything, though. I knew I should have signed up for music theory."

"And what would that have done for you, exactly?"

I shrug. "I don't know. But at least I will have learned something."

Suddenly, I can hear Mrs. Smith calling after me. "Olivia, raise your hand please!" I turn and look at her and see two people standing next to her. One of them I can recognize from last year, but the other one I have never seen before. I lift my hand in the air and wave it about.

The young woman who I have never seen before begins walking towards me and takes the empty seat that I had been wondering about before. She extends her hand out to me and says, "Hi. I'm Casey Novak. I was really forced here against my will." She laughed.

I took her hand and shook it. I thought back to my first day here, exactly one year ago. I hadn't wanted to come here either, but I figured that I would do a hell of a lot better at the academy rather than Adams High. "I'm Olivia Benson. Join the club." We laugh.

I let go of her hand and turn to look at Elliot, who is grinning wildly. I look back at Casey and say, "Please excuse me for just one moment while I go strangle my dear friend Elliot." We laugh, and I turn around and stand up. I walk towards the other side of the room where no one can hear us and motion for Elliot to follow me. "What the hell are you smiling about, Cheshire?" I ask, trying not to smile and look over at Casey.

He is still smiling. "Oh, nothing. Just smiling. Smiling, smiling, smiling. Yep, that's me. Just smiling like an old fool." He is good at this game, but I am better.

"Oh, of course." I look at him seriously, and his smile fades. "Why the hell are you smiling so much? She's probably straight."

He looks at me like I had just said that there's going to be an alien invasion within the next twenty-four hours. "Liv, it's so obvious that she's not straight, no matter what she is. Bi or lesbian, either way, it works for you."

I roll my eyes and look at Elliot. "Not a chance that she's not straight. I mean, look at her." I look over at Casey and can't help but smile. "She's got the looks, the brains, and the personality, from what I know of her. Guys have to be all over her."

"Well, that's why you make your move before they can." Elliot grins again and returns to his seat. I follow him and return to my seat.

Casey seems eager to know that I have returned. "So, I've never been here before. What are the classes like?" she asks me, obviously excited about something.

I sigh and think back to the previous year. "Well, they're not too hard. They are definitely more of a challenge than what a regular high school would give, but they're nothing that I bet you couldn't handle." I smile at my new friend. "Can I see your schedule?" I ask, hoping that I didn't seem too bold.

Luckily, I don't. She nods and takes her schedule of classes out and hands it to me, and I take it and compare our schedules. "Well, what do you know? We have the same schedule!" I say, sounding a bit too excited.

Casey smiled. "Really?" she says.

I look up at her and hand her schedule back to her. "Yep. That means that I get to guide you around the school all day. Trust me, you will get tired of me very quickly." I laugh and examine Casey, trying to see any hint that she might not be straight. She's wearing a black mini-skirt with white leggings. Her shirt looks almost exactly like mine, except that hers is a jade green color. "That's my favorite color," I say to break the silence.

She looks down at her shirt. "Oh, this color? I love it too. It's my favorite." She looks at my shirt, and I can tell where she is looking, too. Let's just say she isn't looking at my stomach, my back, or my shoulders. "I like yours too." She smiled and looked back up at my face.

I look at her flamboyant outfit and then back up at her, and our eyes meet. But not only that, they connect. Her eyes are a nice light shade of green that I had always wanted my eye color to be. She looks like she is full of wisdom, like she knows everything that is going on with me and exactly how I feel at all times. And I know that she is thinking the same thing about me right now. I can see it in her eyes. _Well what am I thinking right now, Miss Novak?_ I imagine myself saying.

I come out of my fantasy land with the sound of her voice interrupting me. "You have the most gorgeous eye color."

I can't help but saying it... "I wish I could look at yours all day." I immediately look away and cover my mouth. I try to cover up what I just said by making excuses. "I meant... I didn't mean to... What I wanted... I love your eye color too," I manage to eventually say. I can tell she is still looking at me, but I don't look back at her. I look over at Elliot instead. I mouth the words, "I am an idiot," over to him. He nods and looks up to the front of the room where Mrs. Smith is sitting, about to take attendance. I can hear Casey mumble something next to me, but I don't bother to ask her what it was. I am too embarrassed that I just said that to her to even think of what she wants to say to me. It is probably something like, _I'm straight. Go fuck off, lesbo. _ Or, _ Excuse me? Do I look like a dyke to you? _ But what I'm really hoping that she said was, _ You have no idea how badly I wanted to hear that from you._


	3. Something Strange

**Chapter Three**

**Casey**

I smile. _This can't be happening,_ I say to myself. I am dumbfounded that I can possibly be making friends this quickly. She turns around, and I look at the person she appears to be gazing at. He is grinning from ear to ear, and I can't help but think that they are more than friends.

She turns back to me and says, "Please excuse me for just a minute while I go strangle my dear friend Elliot." I smile in approval of her abandoning me and leaving me by myself.

She stands up and motions the man that she calls Elliot over, and I can't help but watch her slender figure glide across the room so gracefully.

I come out of my trance-like state and turn around to face my cousin, who I had forgotten about while I was talking to Olivia.

"So, I see you've already made a new friend," Jen says to me.

I smile. "Yep. Already." I sigh, but I keep smiling, still glad to have a new friend. "But I think she has a boyfriend," I say, motioning to the two of them talking in the corner.

"You never know," Jen says to me reassuringly. "I've never really associated with her crowd, but I've heard some rumors about her; she's not exactly _shy_."

I look at her confused for a moment, but then I realize what she means. I just have to verify my analysis. "You mean she's that girl who everyone wants but no one can have for more than a week?" I ask, thinking of a girl, named Chelsea, from my old school. She was the one that everyone considered a slut, but we all knew she was a virgin. However, she _had_ kissed practically everyone at the school, even the girls. She loved making out. I hate myself for comparing Olivia to Chelsea, but I can't help it. I guess I will have to investigate for myself.

Jen nods and glances to someone behind me. I turn around and smile at the sight of Olivia sitting in her seat again, welcoming me.

We sit there in silence for a few seconds before I speak. "So, I've never been here before. What are the classes like?"

Olivia begins talking to me, but I am really not listening to what she is saying. I am listening to the sound of her relaxing voice. Then, I hear her say, "Can I see your schedule?"

I pretend I heard all of what she said and take out my schedule from my lime green and neon pink notebook.

She takes it from my hands and studies it briefly. Olivia's face lights up, and she says, "Well what do you know, we have the same schedule!"

I smile happily. "Really?"

"Yep. That means that I get to guide you around the school all day. Trust me, you will get tired of me very quickly." We laugh again. I take my schedule back from her and tuck it in my binder. I look back up at her. She is studying my outfit: an American Eagle jade green tank top, a black mini-skirt, and white leggings.

"That's my favorite color," she says after mere moments of silence.

I look down at my shirt, without anywhere else to look. "Oh, this color? I love it too. It's my favorite." I do love the color. It reminds me of the nature I experience when I would run through the woods. Thinking it could do no harm, I glance over to Olivia's outfit. Her arms are folded over her stomach, and her back is facing away from me, leaving me only one spot to look at her shirt. Not that I mind or anything, but I know she can see where I am looking. Her cheeks turn red instantly, but I can tell it is not a red of embarrassment. It seems to be more of a red to show that she wishes she weren't so shy so she could do the same thing to me. I want to say to her, _You're not shy. You may not be as flamboyant as me, but you are far from shy._ But I keep it from her and continue scanning her outfit. She is wearing a reddish-pink tank top, rolled up jeans, and hot pink Converse high-tops. At Adams High, she would have "prep" written all over her. I look back up at her face and say, "I like yours too."

Then, something strange happens. Not exactly strange as in weird, but strange as in different. Out of the ordinary. Our eyes meet, and she and I keep our eyes locked on each other's for a few minutes. Her eyes are the most gorgeous color of brown I have ever seen. And so I tell her. "You have the most gorgeous eye color." It was the truth. They weren't quite brown, but they weren't quite green. They weren't hazel either. They were the color that I couldn't get quite right if I had the world's biggest box of crayons.

She looks at me and says, "I wish I could look at yours all day." Then, Olivia does something strange. She turned to face front in her seat, facing Mrs. Smith in the front of the classroom. I guess she seems embarrassed, but I don't know why. "I know how you feel," I say quietly. I smile softly and face the front to wait for Mrs. Smith to take attendance and dismiss us to our first block class.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Olivia hurries out of homeroom and heads away from homeroom. I follow after her quickly. "Hey, wait, where are you going? I need to stay with you because you know where you're going, remember?" I call after her.

She turns around and looks at me for a second as if I'd just said that I was really a man. Then her expression softens and she steps closer to me. "I'm sorry, I forgot that you had all of my classes with me."

I smile softly. "It's okay." I begin walking towards the direction she was heading before, and she follows me. I can't help but think of Olivia and Elliot talking in the corner. I wonder what they were talking about, and I know that I will be wondering what it was until I ask. "So, are you and Elliot… involved?" I ask subtly.

She looks at me with a confused look on her face for a moment, before saying, "Oh God no. We're just friends. We have been since sixth grade. I would never get involved with him… I'm more of a girl person."

It takes me a minute to realize what she said, but I slowly analyze the thought. Does that mean she's a lesbian? Bisexual? Single? Taken? Finally, after moments of silence, I speak. "So… does that mean that you're bi? Because I saw the way you talked to him, and you definitely have a way to talk to the men."

She laughed to break some of the tension. "Yeah, I'm bi. But I just prefer girls, that's all." She pauses for a second before continuing. "Last year, I swear to God, I must have made out with the entire student body. Every single person, at least once." She laughs a bit. I smile softly, but I hate that I was right. She is a lip slut. I don't want to label someone that I don't really know so quickly, but I can't help it. I was so used to being labeled and labeling other people at Adams High that it just came naturally.

"So… are you single?" I ask curiously.

"Yep." Yes! Just what I hoped!

I smile and look up at her. "Me too." We walk together to our first block class and sit next to each other in the rest of our classes all day.


	4. Taco Salad

**_Hey everyone! Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up. There's just been so much stuff going on that I haven't had the time. But, alas, here it is. Thanks for all the reviews! They make me happy! Anyways, chapter 5 won't take as long as this chapter did, so keep checking back. _**

**Chapter Four**

**Olivia**

I rush out of homeroom quickly to try to avoid Casey. I know she heard what I said; there is no way that she didn't.

But, much to my dismay, she follows me out. She is calling to me, "Hey, wait, where are you going? I need to stay with you because you know where you're going, remember?"

Damn.

I forgot I was in all of her classes, and I'd only discovered it less than five minutes earlier.

I turn around and look at her blankly. Then I suddenly "remember" and take a step closer to her. "I'm sorry, I forgot that you had all of my classes with me," I say stupidly.

She smiles at me as if she were my girlfriend and I'd just told her she was beautiful. "It's okay." She begins walking to where I was headed before, and I follow behind her. All I am thinking right now is, "Damn, the view from behind is also as good as the one in front."

Suddenly, I am drawn out of my trance by her voice saying, "So, are you and Elliot _involved_?" She says the word _involved_ like it is a curse word.

I look at her somewhat startled, then I finally manage to say, "Oh God, no. We're just friends. We have been since sixth grade. I would never get together with him... I'm more of a girl person." It is now that I realize what I said. I exposed my "secret" to someone who could have actually tried to accept me as they know me.

She stays silent for a few moments. I think she is contemplating what I just said, as if she hadn't heard me correctly. Finally, she speaks. "So... does that mean you're bi?" Busted. "Because I saw the way you talked to him, and you definitely have a way to talk to the men."

I laugh. I'm not sure if my laugh sounds nervous or if it sounds evil. Either way, it breaks the tension that we both know is there. "Yeah, I'm bi. But I just prefer girls, that's all." I stop talking for a moment, debating whether or not to continue. Ehh, what the hell. "Last year, I swear to God, I must have made out with the entire student body. Every single person at least once." I laugh a little at my past. She smiles a little uncomfortably as if she wishes I hadn't said that, and I regret telling her as soon as I see the look on her face.

"So... are you single?" she asks me as if she were interested in me.

"Yep," I answer honestly. I can see that this answer pleases her from the look in her eyes.

She smiles at me, showing me all of her teeth. "Me too," she says.

What a fortunate coincidence.

I smile and take her off to our next class. I have a feeling down in my gut that says this year will be very different than last year.

XXX

After history class with Miss Pedemonti, I take Casey to the cafeteria for lunch. I know she wants to sit with me. It's obvious. It's a good thing she does, though, because I don't want to sit with anybody but her. I, honestly, could talk to her all day. She always has something interesting to ay. We've already gotten caught talking during class four times today.

"Can I sit with you?" she asks. "I don't know anyone else except my cousin, and, well, I don't exactly want to sit with her... She's not very... uhm... interesting."

Does that mean she thinks I'm interesting?

I smile and chuckle a little. "Of course. I'd love to have you sit with me!"

She smiles, obviously excited about spending time with me. We continue walking to the cafeteria. Once we get there, I see that Elliot, Fin, John, and Alex have saved two seats for Casey and I. It seems that Fin and Elliot are already arguing about what is being served for lunch by the school.

"That is definitely a taco salad. You don't know what the hell you're talking about." Fin is picking the substance up and dropping it on his tray with his fork as he speaks.

"No, you're the one who doesn't know what the hell you're talking about." Elliot points to the mound of "food." "That, my friend, is pudding, Jell-O, and whipped cream."

"Why the hell would they serve dessert for lunch?" Alex has joined in on the argument.

"Why the hell would they serve an unidentified food for lunch, is the better question," I decide to add. I put my books down on t he table and take a seat next to Alex. Casey sits down on my other side.

John looks up from his book at Casey. "My, my, my, who is this attractive young lady?" Casey blushes.

"This is Casey Novak. She transferred from Adams High," I introduce.

Everyone shakes hands with Casey and introduces themselves.

"So, what are you in for?" Elliot asks, referring to why she got transferred.

"My parents didn't think I was getting enough of a challenge, and my cousin Jen comes here, so my mom and dad decided to send me to a 'smart school' where they thought I would look stupid for the first time in my life."

I smile a little with reassurance. "Aww, you won't look stupid to me. John, on the other hand..." I trail off.

He rolls his eyes and looks back down at his book.

Suddenly, I feel an unexpected tap on the side of my leg. It's Alex, wanting my attention. I look over at her. She mouths the words, "I need to talk to you." She stands up and walks out of the cafeteria and waits for me in the hallway.

I turn around, somewhat perplexed, and look at Casey. "I'll be right back... This will only be a minute."

I see a hint of envy in her eye. Why would she be jealous? She doesn't even know about my past history with Alex. But Casey nods her head and I walk into the hall where Alex is waiting.

When I see her, she looks like she hasn't slept for days. I assume that it has something to do with me.

"What is wrong, Al?" I ask her. I put my hand on her cheek to reassure her that I am there for her for anything.

She stays silent for a minute as a tear falls from her eye. I wipe it away quickly and pull her into a hug. "What is it, hun? What's wrong?" I am almost in a panic worrying about Alex.

Finally, she manages to say something. "Everything."

"Sweetie," I say looking at her, "please tell me what happened. Are you fighting with someone?"

She shakes her head "no" slowly and looks down at the floor. "I... I was attacked."

I look at her, perplexed and scared, for a long time before I pull her into another long hug.

"Ba–" I stop myself before I can finish it. I don't want her getting any wrong ideas that I want her back. "Al... when did this happen?"

"I don't know... Thursday?"

"Hun, that was five days ago... Why didn't you call me right when it happened?"

"I don't know, Liv... I was scared. I was ashamed. I still am." Her tears are spilling like Niagra Falls at this point.

"Alex..." I take a deep breath. "Were you raped?"

I wait for an answer of some kind. She looks away and sighs. After a long silence, she nods and wraps her arms around me. I wrap mine around her and start rubbing her back to comfort her. "It's okay sweetie... Everything will be fine." I say it, although I'm not really sure of anything at this point.

"Did you go to the hospital?" I ask after her crying in my arms ceases.

"No... I was scared, Liv. I couldn't."

I sigh and nod. "It's okay. Do you know who did it?"

She shakes her head as the puddles of tears form in her eyes.

"Are you going to report it to the police?" I hate being the one to always ask questions, but Alex isn't talking very much, which is not like her at all.

She immediately responds with a, "NO!"

I nod. "Okay. Who else have you told?"

"Just you. I don't trust anyone else."

I nod and smile a little reassuringly. I hug her one last time and say, "I think we should get back to the guys and Casey. God knows what they're trying to talk to her about." We laugh a little, and I walk back into the cafeteria with my arm around Alex's shoulders.


	5. Dear Journal

**Chapter Five**

**Casey**

The class right before lunch is history class with Miss Pedemonti. To be honest, she is way cooler and funnier than the rest of the teachers. She actually treats the students like people. I remember at Adams High, there weren't any teachers like that, except for my eighth grade homeroom teacher, Miss Parker. I remember that on our field trips, I would always sit with her on the bus and we would sing to the radio that I snuck on the bus. Those were the good old days.

The bell finally rings for our lunch wave, and I stand up and follow Liv out of the classroom after we are spoken to about talking during class for the fourth time today. I am sort of nervous about not having anybody to sit with at lunch. The only people here that I know are Olivia and Jen. "Can I sit with you?" I ask hopefully. "I don't know anyone else except my cousin, and, well, I don't exactly want to sit with her... She's not very... uhm... interesting." I give a half smile and wait for her answer. To be completely honest, Jen is a really cool person. But she doesn't compare to what I know of Olivia.

Olivia smiles and laughs a little bit. "Of course. I'd love to have you sit with me!"

Score one for Casey Novak.

I smile with great happiness. The more time I can spend with her, the better.

Once we get to the cafeteria, Olivia starts heading towards a table with three guys and one girl sitting at it. There are two open seats, which I assume are where we are going to sit. I hear two of the guys arguing over what the food being served for lunch is. The black guy is saying that it is taco salad, while the one who is clearly from Brooklyn is saying that it is some sort of dessert. To me, it just looks like a pile of cafeteria food. Olivia adds on, but I'm not really paying attention to what she's saying. She sits down next to the blonde, and I sit down on the other side of her.

The guy who hasn't said anything speaks up. "My, my, my, who is this attractive young lady?"

I feel my cheeks growing red, and I half smile and look down a little. Olivia introduces me. "This is Casey Novak. She transferred from Adams High."

Everyone reaches out to shake my hand. I shake the blonde woman's first. "Alex Cabot," she says, introducing herself.

I turn to the tall skinny man with glasses and shake his hand next. "John Munch."

"Elliot Stabler," says the man that Olivia was talking to in homeroom.

"Odafin Tutuola," says the black man.

"Say what?" I say with a half smile as I shake his hand.

"Just call me Fin," he says, smiling back at me.

I smile and nod. "Sounds good to me."

"So, what are you in for?" I hear Elliot say.

I look over at him a little confused, but then I realize what he means and I laugh a little bit. "My parents didn't think I was getting enough of a challenge, and my cousin Jen comes here, so my mom and dad decided to send me to a 'smart school' where they thought I would look stupid for the first time in my life."

I see Olivia turn her head to look at me and I look back up at her. "Aww, you don't look stupid to me. John, on the other hand..." she trails off, and I blush a little and smile. John just continues reading his book.

Suddenly, Alex looks at Liv and I see her tapping Liv's leg under the table. I know something's up, but I don't inquire about it. A moment later, Liv turns to me. "I'll be right back... This will only be a minute."

I look at Alex and back to Liv, wondering if there is something going on between them and if Liv lied to me earlier today when she said she was single. I am a bit jealous, but I don't let Liv see that. I just nod and watch her as she walks off with Alex.

The guys all make "ooh's" and "aah's" as they walk away, and I look at them confused.

"They used to date. They broke up right before the summer because Liv said Alex was too needy, and Alex said that Liv was too bossy. I don't think that Alex was ever really over Liv, but I know that Liv is over Alex," Elliot starts.

"I agree," John says, closing his book. "They had a good thing going, but they weren't really meant for each other. Alex may think otherwise, but Liv is definitely looking for new, different people."

I listen to the men talking and I take all the information that I can in. "How serious were they?" I ask nervously.

"Not too serious... On a scale of one to ten on a seriousness scale, it would be around a four or five," Fin adds.

I sigh with relief, but then yawn to cover it up so that the guys don't notice it.

I take my fork and dig it into the food, scooping some up. I look at it for a long time and debate whether or not to eat it. If there is meat in it, I can't eat it because I'm a vegetarian, and if there isn't, I'm not quite sure what it is anyways. I decide not to eat it and put my fork back down. "So, does anyone here know what exactly is for lunch?" I ask, perplexed at the mountain of "food" on my tray.

"No one is ever sure, hun," says Elliot.

I laugh a little bit and look to my left to see Liv and Alex walking back inside with Liv's arm around Alex's. I get a little jealous again, but then remember what the guys said about Liv being over Alex. I calm myself down and push my tray away from me. Reaching for my notebooks, I grab the purple journal and begin writing in it.

_Dear Journal,_

_The first day of school so far has been allright. Nothing stands out too much. Well, nothing except for this girl named Olivia Benson. She is one of the most gorgeous, caring, smart, witty girls I have ever met, and I think I might have a little bit of a crush on her. Today in homeroom, she made me feel so welcome. I was so glad to have found a friend so quickly, and I still am. Actually, now, I have five friends. Olivia, Alex, John, Elliot, and Odafin..something or other. Let's just call him Fin. They're all welcoming me into the school. The one thing that somewhat put a damper on my day was that I found out that Liv and Alex were dating until just before the summertime. They weren't too serious, but it still bugs me that Alex might still have feelings for Liv. I really do want Liv to like me a lot... maybe even as more than a friend. But I don't know if that's going to happen. I never really had any luck in the relationship field of my life, and I don't think that I ever really will. I'll check in later. Peace for now. XO, Casey_

I close the journal and put it back in the pile of books next to my stuff. I know that Liv and the rest of my new friends were talking as I was writing, but I don't know what I missed out on. I just sort of jump in whenever I get the chance.

Soon enough, the bell rings and I stand up, grabbing my books and holding onto them as I start walking towards the exit of the cafeteria. I turn around and look at Liv.

"I'll be there in a minute," she says, then begins talking to Alex quietly.

I nod and stand there waiting, then look at my schedule to see what class I have next. The paper says "_Physical Education, Gym 1, Miss Bryenton_". Wait a minute, P.E.? Does that mean locker room? Does that mean changing into gym clothes? Does that mean seeing Olivia Benson in just a bra and underwear?


End file.
